Advances in Study on Pharmacological Effects of Epimedium
Epimedium also called Horny Goat Weed Extract which has various of Epimedium species has long history in Chinese Pharmacological, In ” Compendium of Materia Medica” –LiShiZhen had alredy said the epimedium can benefit effect in enriching consumptive disease, benefiting pneuma, protect lung and tonifying kidney, support healthy energy. And now pharmacological studies have shown that the Epimedium have the function of Increasing the flow of heart head blood-vessel; Promote hematopoietic function; Immunologic function and bone metabolism; Anti-aging, anti-tumor and etc. Now we mainly make a conclusion for Epemedium pharmacological effects in recently 10 years as below:
Effects of Epimedium in cardiocerebral vascular system
- Doctor WangMin study show that epimedium extract -icariin have the function of increasing the cerebral blood flow is because of the direct expansion of blood vessels instead the impact on systemic hemodynamics. And the strength of icarrin is weaker but longer than than papaverine.
- Another experimental result show Icariin also can work through the expansion of vascular smooth muscle and increase cerebral blood flow experimental animals, reduce cerebral vascular resistance, protect cerebral ischemia injury. GuanLiXin get that the effect of expand blood vessels mechanism associated with calcium channel blocking effect from icariin. And LiuChongMing report that the flavonoids and icariin of epimedium intravenous injection can increase cerebral blood flow and lower cerebral vascular resistance observably.
- XuLanZhi researches show that the flavonoids of epimedium can selective blocking in vitro and animal myocardial receptors β1, but for tracheal β2 receptor and vascular smooth muscle α receptors without blocking effect. The results for epimedium clinical treatment of coronary heart disease, angina, provides a theoretical basis.
epimedium extract from MIGU
Effects of Epimedium in hematological system
- GaoQiMing research and study get that the mainly reason for epimedium inhibition of thrombosis are related with reduce red blood cell aggregation and reduce the viscosity of whole blood.
- LiShuTong research and study show that icariin can promote the activity of CSF samples of spleen lymphocytes in mice. The CSF are one kind of glycoprotein which mainly promote the increment of human or animal bone marrow cells, differentiation, maturation and survival. It can promote hematopoiesis and stimulate to the function of the mature cells, plays an important role in hematopoiesis function. ZhaoYong study show that icariin can collaborative induce 1L-2,3,6. And the 1L-3 mainly effects on bone marrow pluripotent stem cells to promote a variety of blood cells differentiated value-added, 1L-6 work with 1L-3 support the appreciation of pluripotent stem cells, which can promote hematopoietic function.
Effects of Epimedium in immune system
1) Effects on immune organs.The thymus and spleen as a central and important peripheral immune organs of the body’s immune function regulation plays an important role. Pharmacological experiments found that epimedium polysaccharide can make the thymus reduced. Other studies have shown that epimedium polysaccharide injection after mice thymus cell necrosis and organization structure destruction signs. So we can get that epimedium polysaccharide thymus immune pharmacological action characteristics mainly promote thymus release adult cells.Thymus shrink effect is not the result of immunosuppression, but its enhanced the mechanism of cellular immune function
2) Effect of immune cells. The study found that epimedium polysaccharide can improve the level of SRBC immune mice circulation hemolysin antibody, and with the increase of epimedium polysaccharide measurement antibody levels rise.
Effects of Epimedium in Bone Narrow System
LiQingNan make application to testicular method,using in castrated male rats to establish kidney disease. And through the indicators, such as bone metabolism and bone tissue morphology.Proved that epimedium does exist kidney function, shows that it is good for osteoporosis prevention role
Modern research has shown that long-term application of adrenal cortical hormone can cause bone loss, the reason is mainly due to its inhibition of intestinal calcium absorption and its negative nitrogen balance.Make protein decomposition speed, reduce bone matrix synthesis.Many studies make some researchings for epimedium extract liquid and epimedium blend formula to the long-term application of adrenal cortical hormone – of adverse reaction caused by acetic acid prednisone combat role. The result show: the big rice who take the medicine 3 month later will happen very significant osteoporosis and adrenal cortical atrophy.While giving epimedium extract treated rats not only its adrenal atrophy is restrained, and significantly improve the effect of bone formation, Bone trabecular area and density are similar and the control group, there are even more than the control group
Effects of Epimedium in genital system
XiongYueBin make the study through in young mice and in vitro culture of rat leydig cells studied epimedium glycoside effects on male reproductive endocrine, found that epimedium glycoside can make epididymis and seminal vesicle gland weight gain in mice, and suggest that it may be associated with an aphrodisiac effect of epimedium.In vitro experiments showed that epimedium glycoside can obviously promote the rat mesenchymal cells secrete TS basis.Epimedium can improve male east uncle gonad damage, increase the content of testosterone, estradiol levels increased, but the luteinizing hormone levels was not significant, prompt epimedium on function of pituitary gonadal system has a promoting effect.
Effects of Epimedium on Anti-aging
Aging process is a comprehensive process, responsible for the mechanism are various, epimedium preparations can affect aging mechanism from different aspects, such as impact cell batches, extend the growing season, immune regulation and secretion system, improve the body’s metabolism and function of each organ.LiuJiangPo study epimedium flavonoids can reply galactose senile model value reflect the function of T and B lymphocytes in mice, significantly increase the SOD activity of mice spleen, reduce heart tissue formation of lipid peroxide,reduce heart organizations like the fat brown pigment formation.ZengNan study that epimedium polysaccharide from WuShan area polyphase liposome can obviously increase the older animal serum and tissue in the SOP, the activity of gsh-px, and can significantly reduce the older animals of LPO content in serum and liver tissue, reduce fat brown mass content in myocardial aging mice.It says tthe WuShan epimedium have the function of anti-oxidant and anti-aging. MengXianLi experimental study shows that epimedium hypothalamic neurotransmitter age-related changes of natural aging animals have obvious delay action. In short, most indicators reflect epimedium have the effect of anti-aging prolong life.
Effects of Epimedium on Anti-Tumor
LiGuiXin team research showed that epimedium glycoside can induce a wide variety of tumor cell lines in vitro value-added, young people can be induced by acute early grain of leukemia cells (HL – 60) along the grain direction differentiation, with typical cells transferred to morphological and biochemical characteristics and with time and dose dependent. Epimedium glycoside of inducing tumor cell apoptosis at the same time, can affect the change of the cell cycle when the phase distribution, and decreased apoptosis related gene and protein expression level, suggest that it may be epimedium glycoside mechanism of inducing tumor cell apoptosis.
CuiZhenYan team results showed that epimedium is likely to be a new biological response regulator. Otherwise the result showed that epimedium glycoside of ii have good antitumor activity
HaoBingHua study team also found epimedium flavone on a tumor-burdened lower cellular immune function and erythrocyte immune function in mice have certain recovery effect, can inhibit the growth of tumor cells to some extent. Total flavonoids in epimedium as an aid in the treatment of patients with tumor drugs may have certain application prospect. More Scientific research and development , please check here
